Coordination mechanism creates the illusion that BiH is a confederation or a state union, which it is not, nor will it ever be

(Patria) - The coordination mechanism, which deals with EU accession, involving the Council of Ministers, entities, cantons and Brčko District, all of whom jointly and equally decide on state affairs, creates the illusion that BiH is a confederation or a state union, which it is not, nor will it ever be.

This was stated today in a social media post by Slaven Kovačević, advisor to the member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Željko Komšić.

"Whoever established that 'Coordination Mechanism' back in 2016 must have considered the consequences of such an unreasonable and far from wise decision, just as the current government, regardless of its aspirations for compromise and concessions, should have considered them. And unfortunately, it did not.

Furthermore, in the European Commission's Opinion, that same Coordination Mechanism was assessed as inefficient, especially because it involves 14 leaders from 14 different systems of government (1 state government + 2 entity governments + 10 cantonal governments + Brčko District = 14).

Brussels or the EU administration expects only one address for talks/negotiations, and that is solely and exclusively the state government. Therefore, it is important to address the cause, which is the existence of the Coordination Mechanism, not the consequences that such a bad system produces.

No matter how you turn it, we are far from any serious EU story, until we finally start respecting EU values and the EU standards that stem from them.

Derogating the state and its authority, even for an initial tranche of 70 million euros, is a bit too bold and too much. Especially because it is completely uncertain whether what the current government calls the 'draft Reform Agenda' would even be accepted by the European Commission and whether it would even activate the EU Growth Plan for BiH (which has its 4 pillars and 7 areas).

There is no such specificity or any other excuse that can justify the existence of the Coordination Mechanism, which is actually the complete opposite of what the Brussels EU administration expects from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

I have also spoken about the fact that, according to the European Commission's 2022 Report, some 120 reforms are expected for the start or date of EU negotiations, which some persistently try to present as only 8. Screening.

In that abstract reality, a number of political actors live, expecting constant concessions from the EU administration, which will no longer happen," Kovačević stated.